Most people know that certain foods almost always cause bad breath. But did you know there are plenty of foods that can not only help with bad breath, but even prevent it in the first place? If you're worried about bad breath on a day-to-day basis or you've got an important meeting coming up, try adding these foods to your diet.

Parsley and basil Think of parsley and basil as the polar opposites of the notorious bad-breath causing foods onions and garlic. When you eat the latter, there are naturally occurring sulfuric compounds that become absorbed into your blood stream. Every time you exhale, those stinky compounds are released. Eating basil and parsley can actually help break down those compounds. In fact, if you eat these foods in the same dish (a dish with both parsley and garlic perhaps), you might even find that the bad breath is prevented in the first place.

Tea If you're drinking tea with a lot of sugar, you're not doing your mouth any favors. But if you drink unsweetened black or green tea, you're taking in polyphenols, natural antioxidants that fight bacteria. These teas even work well together, since they fight bad breath in different ways. Black tea will help fight compounds that are already causing bad breath, and green tea will help prevent the growth of bacteria that causes bad breath.

Rough foods like apples, celery and carrots Like some of the other foods on this list, apples have polyphenols that help fight the bad breath causing compounds in your mouth. In addition, rough foods like apples, celery and carrots are great at cleaning your teeth (and clearing away food that's causing bad breath) and at moistening your mouth, keeping bacteria at bay.

Cinnamon sticks Chewing on a cinnamon stick provides a three-pronged attack in the fight against bad breath. The rough, hard qualities of the stick will help clean away debris from your teeth and gums, and cinnamon has natural oils that kill bacteria. In addition, a cinnamon stick not only removes the qualities that cause bad breath, but replaces it with a good smell.

Lemons The acid in a lemon is wonderful at killing bad breath. Since it's probably a little too much to ask you to take a bite from a lemon, try adding some lemon juice to a glass of water.

Of course, proper oral hygiene (brushing, flossing, and regular trips to a dentist like Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA) and drinking plenty of water are the best ways to make sure your breath stays smelling fresh, but these foods all make excellent temporary options.

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